dreams,dinners and fieldtrips
by xLoveMitchiex
Summary: After Junior Prom everything seems to be perfect for Derek/Sally and Casey/Max. But dreams, dinners and fieldtrips turn out different as they were planned to be...Dasey
1. Introduction

Junior Prom is Over. Casey seems to have found her prince charming and Derek is working on things with Sally. Everything seems perfect, for now.

But what about those dreams coming over Casey and Derek the night after prom?

What will Derek do when he ends up having his romantic dinner planned for Sally, with Casey?

And the fieldtrips with school doesn´t really help to make things clear...

* * *

So this is my first fanfiction about Dasey. =)

I´m from Germany so if you find any mistakes in language or gramma, i´m sorry. But I´m trying not to make them!

So read and comment. Tell me if you want me to go on with the story!


	2. the morning after

**Dasey- Dreams,Dinners and Field trips**

Casey Mc Donald opened her eyes. _Was that a dream?_

She glaced around her room. _No._ There was her promdress hanging over the chair and the tiara on her bedside table.

She wasn´t dreaming, she really had been promqueen and she had found her prince charming.

Casey couldn´t help but smiling, everything seemed to be perfect.

Looking at the alarm clock she realized it was just about 6:30, so she turned around and closed her eyes again.

* * *

At the same time next door, Derek Veturi woke up from a dream.

He sat straight up in bed and looked very shocked. „Ok..." That has been a strange dream!

Derek swung out of bed. he nearly kissed a girl in his dream, and it hadn´t been Sally!

He shook his head and made his way quietly towards the stairs.

_It was just a dream!_

Casey´s door was open and Derek took a look. She was sleeping on her left side so he could only see her back. He also saw the promdress and the tiara. Casey had really looked beautiful yesterday, he had to admit that.

For one moment Derek wanted to take a step inside, but then he turned around.

„What rubbish!"

* * *

Nora and George were sitting at the isle, the clock almost reached 9 am.

„Our kids are growing up, George." Nora sighed.

„Yeah. But it had to happen sometime, right? At least they are responsable." George replied.

While grinning his wife raised an eyebrow. „Ok, at least sometimes."

They heard the door closing and Nora leaned back. „Derek?" she asked, very surprised.

„Please don´t tell me you´re coming home from the promparty now?!" his father got up from his chair.

„No I was...just out for a walk, couldn´t sleep anymore."

Derek taking a walk without anyone forcing him? That was definatly strange!

* * *

Casey was sitting in the waiting room, waiting for her appointment with the doctor.

She had a magazine on her lap and was reading an article about a new book that would be released in a few weeks.

„Mrs. Venturi? It´s your turn!" Casey stopped reading for a moment. There was another one here with the name Venturi? Small world.

„Mrs. Casey Venturi?" she raised her head. _Is she talking about me? _Casey got up from her chair and walked towards the young secretary.

„Hey Case, there you are! How have you been?" She was smiling.

_Why is she calling me Case? I don´t even know her!_

„Good but you must be mistaken about me." Casey replied friendly. „My name is Casey Mc Donald. M-C-D-O-N-A-L-D. Venturi is the name of my stepfather and my stepsiblings."

The young woman, who seemed to know her very well, grinned. „Yeah, and it´s yours too since you married Derek last month."

Casey´s eyes grew wide. _What?_

She looked down at her left hand, a ring. „I did what?" that couldn´t be true, impossible!

„You married Derek! I mean this was so cute! Since you´ve been together for 10 years he finally asked you!" there was a dreamy look in her eyes but Casey was just shocked.

She took of the ring and looked at the engraving. _Derek May 25, 2017_

2017? She was this close to panic. „No,No....No!"

* * *

Casey awoke with a start. Her heart was racing and her breath was going heavy.

What the heck has that been?

She pulled out her dream diary and wrote the dream down. After she had calmed herself a little bit, Casey got out of bed and walked downstairs.

„Here comes our promqueen!" Nora gave her oldest daughter a bright smile.

At the moment Casey didn´t looked like a promqueen at all. Her hair was tousled and wild and she looked very puzzled.

„Too much dancing last night?!" George joked and she just nodded.

It was 9:30 am and they were all sitting at the isle ready for breakfast. Casey was pretty sure that there was no need to share this dream with her entire family.

„**Casey?"** she startled up and turned her head. „I said could you pass me the milk?" Derek tried it for at least the 5th time.

„Yeah, sure." she grabbed the milk and passed it over the table, making sure her head was turned away. Casey just couldn´t look at Derek now.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. „I´ll go!" with that she was gone from the table and heading towards the door.

Casey took a deep breath, put on a smile and opened the door.

…

„Well, I didn´t expected you."


	3. Lie and Confession

So here comes chapter two, I actually wanted to wait til I get more reviews but I think this wouldn´t be fair for the ones that reviewed my story and wanted to know how it goes on! Maybe this chapter gets more!

It´s a little bit short though but I promise I have some more to come up that are longer!

Hope you still enjoy reading. =)

**Disclaimer: I do obviously not own life with Derek.**

* * *

„Me neither." Sally was standing in the door with a timid smile.

„Well, come in!" Casey said and showed her the way to the kitchen.

Derek almost choked himself on the milk. „Sally!" she smiled again. „Good mornig!"

Meanwhile Casey sat down on her chair again.

„I was just wondering if you...if you want to go to have breakfast with me. You know, over at _Happy B´s."_

Derek seemed to be very surprised. „But I see, you´ve already..." She couldn´t go any further with her sentence because Derek interrupted her. „No!" suddenly his cereals were pushed aside and ended up in front of Lizzie.

Casey´s younger sister just rolled her eyes.

„I mean...I´d love to but my parents just asked me to give Marti a ride to a friend and she´s living about 40 minutes away."

Give Marti a ride? Did Casey missed this conversation?

„Well, I can do that." she offered, all eyes were on her now. „You can go and have breakfast with Sally. Me and Emily planned to go shopping anyway. So I´ll take her with us and we do it on the way back." Lie. Casey McDonald just lied and she didn´t even know why.

„Really?" Derek was the first to break the silence. „Sure. I´m just gonna get dressed and fix my hair. I´ll be back in 15 minutes. Have fun you two!" with that Casey was gone upstairs.

* * *

_Why did I said this?_ She was confused by herself. She shook her head, grabbed the phone and dialed Emily´s number.

„Yeah?" someone whispered. „Is that you, Em?" Casey asked.

„Who else should this be? Casey, what do you want?" she seemed to be half asleep.

„We need to go shopping, but first we have to give Marti a ride to a friend." silence.

„Are you crazy? It´s 9.45 am after promnight and I´m not even at home." Emily said in a low voice. „But I need you. Please Em! I´ll explain it later. Where are you?" Casey heard a sigh from the phone. „We´re at Melanie´s. They are still sleeping. We wanted to have breakfast..."

„I love you so much! Thanks! I´ll pick you up in about 20 minutes!" before Emily even had the chance to reply, Casey hung up.

* * *

„Thank you Casey!" Marti gave her sister a kiss on the cheek and jumped out of the car.

„Bye Emily!" she added waving her hand and disappeared into the house.

For about two minutes, the best friends didn´t say anything.

„So what the heck was that with going shopping at 10 am Saturday after prom?!" Casey sighed. How could you explain something you didn´t understand yourself?

„Well...uh...I don´t really know. Sally came over to our house and wanted to go out for breakfast with Derek but he said he needed to give Marti a ride and suddenly I was like: I can do it. Emily and me wanted to go shopping anyway. Yeah...and it would have been embaressing if they new I lied."

Emily raised an eyebrow. „That was kind of stupid. You could have just said you take Marti." she looked at her bestfriend in the driverseat.

„I know I can´t explain it either. Maybe I just wanted to help him because he kind of saved my life yesterday by bringing me this amazing dress." Emily nodded in agreement.

„Well then....let´s go shopping!"

* * *

_Why did Casey do that? She´s never been that friendly to me..._

Derek couldn´t explain it, he had no idea and this was definitley something that didn´t happen everyday.

„DE-REK?!" He looked up. „Case?" Derek asked automatically.

„No...it´s me, Sally." the blonde girl on the other side of the table was waving her hand in front of him. „You´re out for breakfast with me, remember? Did you hear what I said?" Derek was confused.

„Ähm...sure. I mean no. Sorry!" Sally shook her head. What was the matter with this guy?

„I was talking about me and Patrick, you know...we broke up. Well, actually I broke up with him."

Derek was surprised and kind of shocked at the same time.

Yesterday she told him at least 10 times how much they love each other.

„And I kind of think...it´s because of you."

* * *

**So...what will Derek reply to that? You wanna know? Then review please! =)**


	4. the nightmare

Yeah, next chapter is up. Sorry it took me a bit to write it because school started again and I´m kind of busy.

It´s a bit longer then the other ones, hope you like it! =)

Please review!

* * *

Bang. This sentence hit Derek right in the face.

„B...because of...me?" he stuttered and looked at her very confused.

„I´m so sorry!" Sally said quickly. „I just thought you feel...well kind of the same thing. Even if I´m not really know what I´m feeling. But...Oh god this is so embarassing." she stoped and turned her head away.

„No! Sally, I´m...I´m just surprised. Because yesterday you told me how much you two love each other." she looked back at him. „Yeah. I guess I just kept saying this to myself not to get overwhelmed by my feelings...for you."

That was too much for Derek. The girl he liked for so long probably liked him too?!

„Pretty big thing, hm?" Derek took all of his courage and reached out for Sally´s hand.

„Ok. So this means...you...and me?" she smiled. „At least we can try it, right?" and now Derek smiled too. „Sure. Let´s just take it slow."

Did he really just said that?. It felt kind of right, but it also scared him.

Derek shook his head and focused on Sally, It would be alright, wouldn´t it?

* * *

Casey closed the door and threw her shopping bags on the ground.

_What a nice day! _She thought, not realizing Derek who was sitting on his chair as ususal.

„How was shopping?" she jumped a little. „DE-REK!" he smirked.

„Stop doing this!" Casey made a face. „Doing what?!" Derek asked innocently.

„Forget it. But if you really want to know: It was really great. We found lots of new clothes, make up, lipgloss and we saw some really really cute boys who..."

„TMI Casey!" Derek interrupted her. „TM what?" he smirked again. „ Too Much Information, Miss I know everything better." she rolled her eyes. „Anyway, how was breakfast with Sally?"

„It was, well....good." Casey smiled. „Yeah Sally seems to be a nice girl since you talk about her so much. I´m wondering she still likes you. Never tried to hit on her?" she grinned, grabbed her bags and went upstairs. She didn´t wanted an answer to her question, why should she?

* * *

„So Casey...how was your shopping tour?" Nora asked her daughter. The whole family was sitting at the table for dinner. „Well, new clothes, lipgloss, make up, cute boys..." Derek said smirking and Casey gave him an angry look. „It was great mom, thanks for asking. But maybe you wanna ask Derek how his breakfast with Sally was?!" If Derek wanted to start this pranking/annoying thing again, there was no way she wasn´t gonna join in.

„We actually did and we think it´s really great. Sally is a nice girl!" George said and gave his oldest son a smile. Casey was a little confused. What was really great?

„What are you talking about?" she asked. „Didn´t he told you? Derek, did you?" Edwin glanced over to his brother and then back to Casey. „He and Sally are oficially together now!" this came from Lizzy and it hit Casey with a strike. „What?" that was the only thing she managed to say.

„You...you should have told me!" Derek shrugged his shoulders. „You didn´t asked me."

That was the most stupid answer ever! „But how could I know? And it seems like you´ve told everyone else in this family. And I bet they didn´t asked you if you and Sally are a couple now, right?" She looked around but nobody in the family made an effort to answer.

„Well fine. Thanks for the food mom, I´m going to my room. I need to study." Again a lie, something was definately wrong here!

„But you barely eat anything!" her mother called after her but Casey was already halfway up the stairs.

* * *

She slammed her door and threw herself onto her bed. She was close to tears and didn´t even know why!

After a minute she grabbed the phone lying on her bedsidetable and dialed the number of her best friend Emily. „Em? Are you there?"

„Again Casey, who else should this be? What´s the matter with you today?" that was the question Casey was asking herself since she woke up this morning. „I just needed someone to talk. Well you know...Derek and Sally...they´re a couple now!" there was silence for a moment.

„So what? They´re cute together. And this time there´s no reason for you to be jealous because you´re not single, you have Max!" Max! Casey almost forgot about him today! „Yeah, you´re probably right-" but she still wasn´t sure why she was so upset. „Well Casey, I gotta go. My mom is calling for dinner!" Casey sighed. „Sure, I´ll see you tomorrow in school!" with that she hung up.

* * *

This night Casey could hardly fell asleep. She was turning herself from one side to another but it still didn´t helped. When she finally fell asleep Casey was haunted by a terrible nightmare.

_She was walking through their old house in Toronto, but there was nobody there. „Lizzie? Mom?" she called out but there was no answer. „Where are you?" the house seemed to be cold and empty and she didn´t know why. „Answer me!" Casey was freezing, why was it so cold in here?_

_Suddenly she noticed some cards lying on the couch table. She walked over and picked up them up._

„_Good will bless you in those hard times!";„We´re with you Casey";„They were amazing, we´ll never forget them!"_

_Those were condolence cards! But for what?_

_Then one thing caught Casey´s eye. An obituary!_

„_In loving memory of Elizabeth and Nora NcDonald who passed away too early. We love and will always remember you." _

_A terrible scream sounded through the house..._

Casey awoke with a start, her eyes filled with tears. For one moment she wasn´t really sure where she was but then she jumped out of bed and ran out of her door.

Casey stormed into the room next door. „Lizzie!" she sobbed and climbed into her sisters bed, She needed to be with her now!

Feeling the closeness of her sister, her warm arm which met hers while cuddling into the bed, made Casey feel better immediately.

Suddenly she stopped. This wasn´t Toronto...in her agitation Casey had forgot about this.

So if this wasn´t Toronto...this was also not Lizzies bed.

The lights went on and Casey was looking right into Dereks face.

* * *

„What the heck are you doing in my bed? At..." he looked at the alarm clock. „3:30 am?"

Casey was shocked. Wow, this was probably the most embarrassing moment ever!

_What should I do now? I can´t just storm out of his room, especially since I´m lying in his bed..._

Casey didn´t know what to do and Derek seemed to be a little helpless too.

„So?" he asked and she turned her face away. _Please, someone help with with this!_

But there was no one to rescue her. „Well...I was..." she started to explain. „Casey look at me and tell me why you´re in my bed!" he got a little angry. Casey´s eyes started to fill with tears again. „Hey!" Derek took Casey´s face in his hands and turned it to him, then he realized she was about to cry. „No, please! Casey! You know I can´t stand this!" now he was even more helpless.

_Why is she crying now? I just can´t stand seeing her sad, especially not if I´m the reason!_

„Is it beceause of that Sally thing? Ok I´m sorry I didn´t told you." Casey shook her head.

Did he just said he was sorry?

„N...no but thanks. I was having a real bad dream about Mom and Lizzie dying. As I woke up I thouht I was at our house in Toronto. And I just stormed into the room next door to get to Lizzie, because her room used to be next to mine. In Toronto." Casey realized how stupid and absurd this situation was. „Well...I´m really sorry. I´ll just leave and go back to my bed." she said and got out of his bed.

„Stop!" _And why exactly did I said this?_ Derek had no Idea.

„Why?" This was the question. „Sit down!" he got out of bed and sat down on the edge. Casey sat down next to him. „Well...I think you know I´m not really good at this stuff. Thats what you have your girlfriends for. I mean I´m supposed to be the annoying stepbrother but now oficially for the first time I will try to be some kind of..." Derek turned to Casey. She had placed her head on his pillow and was sleeping. Derek couldn´t help but smiling.

He covered her with the blanket, crawled into the bed and turned out the lights.

* * *

„**Derek! It´s 7:40 am and you need to go to school!"** George opened his sons door and wanted to cotinue with his speech as he stopped.

Casey had woke up with a start again and looked into George surprised and shocked face. „What are you doing here?" he managed to say.

„Sleeping?" Cases replied innocently and got out of bed. „Since it´s 7:40 am and I need to go to school, I´m going to the bathroom now." she headed past George and into the bathroom.

Casey locked the door behind herself and leaned against the door.

Ok, maybe she was wrong. _This _was the most embarrassing Moment ever!


	5. What s The Best Way To Embarrass Myself?

Hey guys, new chapter up! =)  
After posting the last one I realized that Em and Casey went shopping on Saturday and the next day is obviously Sunday. So I needed to come up with a reason for them to go to school on Sunday. XD

Thanks for the reviews btw, I always love reading them! =)

**And again, I don´t own life with Derek. If I would, there would be Dasey! ;P**

* * *

Casey took a deep breath and walked down the stairs.

Maybe George didn´t told her Mom and there was no need to explain something.

But why would this be such a big deal? It was just her stepbrothers bed. This was another thing Casey couldn´t explain and she was wondering why this happened so often lately.

Nora was waiting downstairs and looked at her daughter with an indefinable expression on her face.

„Ok Mom, I just slept in Dereks bed because I had a bad dream and I thought it was Lizzie´s room because her´s used to be next to mine!" Casey tried to explain and her mother raised an eyebrow.

„You slept in Dereks bed?!" she asked. Casey glanced over to George. „You didn´t told her, did you?" he just shook his head.

„Well then...yeah. As I said: Bad dream and Lizzie´s room. **Derek!!! School!**" she yelled up the stairs. He came down very quickly, gave his parents a smile and then dissappeared through the door. So did Casey.

Nora gave her husband a questioning look.

„What was that now?"

* * *

Normally there was no school on Sunday, but the history teacher had offered his students extra time to learn for a big test. Derek didn´t wanted to go but George had forced him to.

_Stupid history lesson...if we didn´t had to get up George would have never noticed me in Dereks bed!_ Did she just said „stupid history lesson"? Casey shook her head, something wasn´t right here.

Derek hasn´t talked to her since they left the house. Not that she wanted him to, it was embarrassing enough, but this akward silence wasn´t helping!

Derek stopped the car in the parking lot. Casey got out and took a deep breath of the fresh air.

_What´s happening here? We should be arguing, shouldn´t we?_ Casey thought.

„Hey Casey!" she looked up. „Emily!" thank goodness! „How are you? Did you calm down?" Casey put on a smile. „Sure!" if she´d only knew! Casey wasn´t going to tell her. At least, not yet.

„Good, we need to hurry. I guess you don´t wanna be late?!"

Casey turned around. „Yeah...I mean, no." Where was Derek? She didn´t realized that he had left.

She shook her head and followed Emily into the building.

* * *

During the lesson Casey glanced over to Derek.

_Is this thing with Sally really serious? I mean not Derek...I think he likes her, he´s been after her longer than after any other girl I guess...and he seemed happy and excited when she came over... _

_But Sally? She´s way too good for Derek! At least she fits his type. Long blonde hair...not like me. Stop Casey! Why are you comparing yourself to a girl Derek likes? You don´t like him and he does not like you! But I´m still not sure if this is going to work..._

„Casey McDonald, I think since I´m offering you my help on a Sunday morning, history is much more important then your stepbrothers relationship!" the teacher was standing behind her and Casey looked down at her notes.

_Derek+Sally= ?_

How did this came onto her paper? Everyone in class had turned around and now stared at her.

_Great._ she thought. _What is the matter today?_ She was starting to believe that today was _What´s-the-best-way-to-emberrass-myself-day_, or at least something like this.

„Sure..." she just muttered, ripped out the page from her notebook and crumpled it up.

Casey watched the clock ticking, when was this supposed to be over?

* * *

„Well then, I guess that´s enough for today. I don´t wanna ruin your whole sunday. Thanks for your work and I hope you now know a bit more about our history!"

Over, this was finally over! Casey got up from her chair as quick as possible and rushed over to Emily. „Can I come with you?" she asked. „Yeah sure. I actually wanted to ask you the same because my parents are out today and my brother is somewhere too. So it would have been really boring!" Casey smiled with relief. No Derek for the next few hours!  
„Then let´s go!" they went past her stepbrother and Casey tried to put on a smile again. „I´m going with Emily!" and then she was gone. Derek shook his head.

_What´s the matter with her? And what was this thing about my relationship?_

* * *

Casey wasn´t comfortable at all. Even if Derek was two houses away, she was still nervous. She knew that she needed to go home, even if she stayed here for dinner. And as lucky as she was today, she would run into him before getting the chance to reach her room.

„**Casey!"** she startled up. „Would you listen to me for once? I thought you feel good today!?" Did Casey missed again what Emily said?

„Oh sorry, I was just that much into the movie!" she tried to explain. „Casey please, I bet you don´t even know which movie we´re watching!" „That´s not true!" Casey looked over to the TV.

„So...?" Emily crossed her arms. „Ehm..." Emily was, right...she had no idea.

„Casey you remember who I am right? Emily, your best friend. You can tell me!" Casey sighed, maybe her she was right again. „It´s about Derek and Sally...I just don´t think this is going to last!" Emily gave her a strange look. „Since when do you care about Dereks feelings?" Casey stopped. „I don´t!" _Do I?_ „I would just feel sorry for Sally!" _Didn´t I just thought about Sally beeing not serious with Derek?_ „But he seems very serious with her. You should have seen them at Smelly Nelly´s!" Was it serious? This was making her crazy and she didn´t even know why!

„So you just wonder if their relationship is going to last?! That´s why you wrote their names on your notebook?" Casey had no real explanation for that so she just nodded.

„And this is all that makes you act so strange?" Emily asked.

If they kept going on like this Casey would have just told her about the thing with sleeping in

Derek´s bed, but she didn´t wanted to. „Sure Emily. I just think Sally is a nice girl and she does not deserve it to be treated badly. I know Derek really well and he´s never been really serious about a girl." _Just keep pretending Casey!_

„But I think I gotta go now. I promised to be over for dinner because Mom said she was going to make spagetthie!" she hugged Emily. „Thanks for having me over!" her best friend smiled. „Anytime Casey. But promise that you´ll try to listen to me next time!" Casey forced a smile too. „Sure, I´ll try my best!"

* * *

„Wow, this was way harder then I expected it to be..." Casey was sure she would have a great and relaxing day with Emily but this hadn´t been relaxing at all. And now she would have to face Derek, because it was not even 7 pm.

Casey entered the house and found Edwin and Lizzie on the couch, fighting for the remote control.

„It´s my turn now! I let you watch wrestling yesterday!" Lizzie yelled while she was grabbing for the remote control.

„But I asked Dad and he said it was ok!" Edwin answered, pulling his hand away so Lizzie had no chance to get what she wanted. „But that´s unfair!" Casey couldn´t help but smiling.

Her little sister made a last attempt to reach the remote control and landed on top of Edwin. He squeked and Lizzie finally got what she wanted. „Now this was unfair!" he complained.

„Mc Donalds always win!" at this time both of them realized Casey, still standing next to the door.

„You´re right, sis!" Edwin made a face.

„Where´s everybody?" Lizzie turned to her big sister, still making sure Edwin didn´t get a chance to trick her. „Mom,Dad and Marti are out for a walk. And Derek...well I think he´s with Sally. As far as I understood that...Edwin, don´t you dare to!" she turned around when her stepbrother grabbed for the remote control again.

Casey smiled dor the second time, good. No Derek in the house. But he was with Sally.

_Let go Casey, if this isn´t serious it´s Derek´s problem!_

She went upstairs and decided to take a shower, maybe this would clear up the chaos in her mind a bit!

* * *

Derek and Sally were walking out of the cinema. „Ok, this film was way over the top." they had watched some romatic-trashy thing with happy end of course. Derek had even forgotten about the name.

„Oh.I actually thought it was really cute! I loved the ending!" Sally replied to Derek. „Oh come on Ca..." he shut his mouth. „Come on ca...what?" Sally asked and Derek nervously ran his fingers through his hair. „Ca...can´t you understand, this is new for me. I´m not used to watching such films."

_Wow, saved._

Sally smiled. „No big deal. It´s ok!" she said and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

_What was that about? I almost called my girlfriend Casey! I wonder how she does this, getting me in trouble without even being there!_

* * *

Derek entered the door and saw Edwin and Lizzie sitting on the couch, just like Casey did before.

„There you are!" Edwin greeted his brother. „Where´s everyone? „´m hungry." „

Mom, Dad and Marti are out for a walk." replied Lizzie just as she had done before with her sister. „And Casey, I guess she´s in her room." Derek nodded. He was in the mood of pranking her, especially because she had almost screwed his date.

_But I can do that later. I´ll take a shower first._

He walked over to the bathroom and opened the door.

* * *

Casey swung around as the bathroom door opened. Her eyes grew wide and only a second later a high, loud scream filled the house.

Derek wasn´t even able to move. The sight of Casey only wrapped in a towl with her wet hair hanging over her shoulders kind of paralysed him. She looked sexy.

_OMG, Derek Venturi! Stop finding your stepsister attractive!_

Casey stopped screaming, reach out forward, grabbed the door and shut it with a loud _bang_.

She slided down to the ground, her back against the door.

She was fighting against the tears coming up in her eyes.

This wasn´t fair. The day already been embarrassing enough!

* * *

Derek turned away from the bathroom door. _Wow, that was too much._

He didn´t even do this on purpose, Lizzie said Casey would be in her room!

„Hey man, what´s the matter with you? You look like you´ve seen a ghost!" Edwin just appeared at the stairs and gave his brother a questioning look. „And what the heck was this terrible scream about?" Derek shook his head to get rid of Casey´s picture in it.

„Nothing. Casey freaked out again. Like usual!" his younger brother nodded. „Well, I just came to tell you that dinner´s ready in about 10 minutes!"


	6. Two times almost dinner

Hey guys, here´s a new chapter!  
Sorry it took me so long but I hurt my hand and it is very hard to type with one hand and believe me you get annoyed very fast by that because it takes so long! XD

Anyway, hope you like this one!

**And again, I don´t own life with Derek. If I would, there would be Dasey! ;P**

* * *

Casey hadn´t talked to Derek for 3 days. She was on her way to school before he even got out of bed and during the lessons with him she focused on the teacher even more.

„**Casey!" **_Damn it!_

„What do you want?" she snapped, turning around to look at him.

„Ehm..." Derek actually hadn´t expected her to answer and now he didn´t know what to say.

„Speechless?" Casey asked ironic. „Well that´s a nice change, and you better get used to it Derek Venturi because you´ll never talk to me again!" if looks could kill Casey McDonald would have been prosecuted for murdering her step-brother right now.

She rushed past him to get to the car but Derek wouldn´t let her. He grabbed Casey´s arm and turned her back to him. She wanted to yell hat him again but suddenly his eyes caught her.

„I...I..." _Wow...I never realized how brown his eyes are..._

* * *

Derek had expected her to yell at him again, but all he got was an akward silence.

Without a chance to prevent it, the picture of Casey just wrapped into a towel showed up in his mind again. _Man, I need to get rid of this! Stop finding your STEP-SISTER attractive!_

Derek tried to get rid of the picture because he knew that after all he should imagine Sally, his girlfriend, just wrapped into a towel and not his step-sister Casey.

„Look, I´m sorry." this was the moment Casey broke herself free from the spell she was under since looking into Derek´s eyes.

_Did he just said that he was sorry?_ This seemed to happen a lot lately.

„W..what?" she managed to say.

„I didn´t meant to...catch up with you in such a private situation. And this time I mean it. Lizzie told me you were in your room and I really didn´t expected you to be in the bathroom."

Casey looked at him. That sounded logical.

„So...are we cool?" The truth was, Derek just couldn´t stand not talking to Casey. Without pranking her and her yelling his name in such a familar way, something was clearly missing in his life.

* * *

Casey wasn´t sure whether to believe him or not. He seemed to be serious.

„Ok." she finally said. A smile flitted across his face.

„So you give me a ride home?" she smiled too. „Sure!"

„**Casey!"** someone called her name and she turned around. „Max!" her boyfriend stopped in front of her and gave her a kiss.

„You wanna go out for a Pizza?" she looked between him and Derek.

„Well..." of course she wanted to, but actually she had looked forward to drive home with Derek.

_Casey, don´t tell me you can´t decide between your boyfriend and your annoying step-brother!_

Why did _driving home with Derek_ sounded so much better then _going out for a pizza with Max_?

* * *

„Look, I´d love to but I really need to study for this history test." _Technically, this wasn´t a lie._

her boyfriend looked a bit disappointed but then he smiled. „No problem, I have something better planned for us. We´ll go out for dinner tomorrow. I´ll tak you to the new Italian restaurant. You know, at the opposite of Smelly Nellie´s?" Casey got ecxited, that was a really elegant restaurant! He would take her there?

„I´ll pick you up at 6 pm, ok?" she just nodded and gave him a kiss.

Derek looked away and made a face. _I just don´t like this guy!_

He didn´t have a particular reason, he was just not very appealing to him.

„Hey Casey! You wanted to give me ride home, remember?" she rolled her eyes. „Sure."

then she turned around, grabbed Derek by his jacked and pulled him towards the exit.

* * *

Nora had set up the table for dinner and everyone was waiting for the food. „Dad, I´m hungry. I had a hard day at school!" Derek said in direction of his father but he wasn´t listening.

„I have an announcement!" instead of replying to his son, George got up from his chair.

„As we all know, you guys have no school tomorrow because of the Memorial Day. That means we have a three days weekend and Nora and me we decided to do a family trip!" he smiled brightly.

Derek, Casey, Edwin and Lizzie exchanged looks. Never. Family trips in the Venturi/McDonalds household always ended up with a desaster.

„Sorry George, we can´t come with you!" Casey just realized something that saved her and Derek from participating in this whole „family thing".

„Why?" she put on a very apologetic look. „Our school planned two fieldtrips this weekend. Remember Mom, I told you that?!" Nora seemed to think. „I guess you did." she also couldn´t imagine that her responsable daughter forgot to tell her something important like that.

Edwin glaced over to Lizzie. _Why didn´t we have such a good excuse?_ He thought and it was qbvious that Lizzie thought the same.

* * *

„That´s a pitty. I guess then we have to go just with Martie, Edwin and Lizzie. Can we leave you guys here alone?" right at this moment Casey realized what it meant. Her and Derek, alone for 3 days? THAT could just end up in a desaster!

„S...sure." she stuttered and glanced over to Derek because she was a bad liar and she couldn´t really hide what she was feeling. And right now she wasn´t sure if she would survive this weekend, but she wanted her parents to leave because this meant a weekend just for her. She could spend it with Max or Emily.

„Of yourse you can." Derek said with a big smile. „We´re responsable adults. We can take care of ourselves." this didn´t really make sense out of Derek´s mouth but Nora and George seemed to believe it. „Well then things are fixed. I´ll go and get the food!"

* * *

The next day Nora, George and the kids left early. Casey was still sleeping and Derek was on the phone with Sally.

„No...yeah sure. We can go out for dinner this evening. But we can also do something that´s even better. What do you think about coming over tonight and I´ll cook for you? My parents took the other kids out on a family trip and Casey is on a date with Max." Sally agreed and she seemed to be very happy. Derek hung up the phone and felt like slapping himself right into the face.

_What the heck did you thought Derek Venturi? The only thing you can cook are things from the freezer compartment and just because you can put them into the microwave!_ But he couldn´t serve something like that on a romantic date, his first real romantic date, with Sally!

He definitely needed help!

* * *

While Derek got desperated downstairs Casey was awake and standing in front of her closet to find something to wear for tonight. „This is going to be sooo awsome!" she already imagined herself and Max sitting on a table in the restaurant. Romantic music was playing and while eating delicious food he was telling her how much he loved her.

„Casey?" she startled up and the blue dress in her hands slipped to the floor. „DE-REK!"

she saw him in the mirror and turned around.

* * *

There it was, the familar thing he had missed so much over the past 4 days. It was just the way she said it. He kind of needed it.

He looked at her for a moment because he had completly forgotten why he came here.

„I like the red one better on you!" Ok, this was definitely not what he wanted to say.

„Really?" Casey was so surprised by this statement that she didn´t realized how strange it was, Derek telling her what looked good on her or what might not.

„Sure, it makes your eyes sparkle." _What the heck are you saying there Derek? Are you crazy?_

„It does what?" he shook his head. „Nothing. Ehm...Casey? Could you do me favor?" he tried to divert her. „What do you want Derek?"

He explained the whole situation with Sally and the promised self-cooked dinner.

* * *

„So you want me to cook your dinner for Sally?" he nodded slightly. „For that Derek Venturi, you owe me something really big!" a smile spreaded aross his face. „You´re gonna do it?" he asked and Casey nodded. „Something really big!" she reminded him. „Anything you want Case!"

That sounded tempting, and she also didn´t wanted to mess things up for Derek on his first date.

At least, not with Sally. „So what do you want me to cook?" he shrugged his shoulders. „Anything you want, just nothing from the freezer compartment!" she rolled her eyes. „Are you trying to insult me Derek?"

* * *

At 5.45 pm the table in the living room was set. The lights were turned low, Casey had placed candles and rose petals everywhere. It looked very romantic. „Don´t you think that´s a bit over the top Casey?" she shook her head. „Girls love it and Sally will love it too. For once in your life, believe me Derek!" he decided to believe her. He could do it once in his life, that didn´t seemed very much.

„The food is still on the cooker, I´ll go and get dressed now!" with that she was upstairs to get ready for her romantic date with Max.

* * *

15 minutes later she came back, walking down the stairs and Derek´s heart stopped beating just for a second. She was beautiful. Her brown hair was curled and floated over her shoulders. And, to his surprise, she was wearing the red dress he had talked about this morning. He shut his mouth not to say anything either stupid or embarrassing.

„So..." she turned around in front of him. „Do you like it?"

_Think Derek, think!_ „Yeah, nice dress." saved.

„Thanks." Casey didn´t know why, but she had expected something more. Didn´t he said something about _her eyes sparkling_ this morning? The doorbell rang and interrupted her thoughts.

She opened it to find Max, dressed in a black suit with a bouquet of roses in his hands.

„Oh thanks! That´s so sweet!" she gave him a big smile and hurried into the kitchen to get a vase for the flowers. „You look very cute today, nice dress!" _Hm_._ Nothing about sparkling eyes..._

Casey thought. _Argh Casey, you should ban Derek from your head!_

„Let´s go!" she said and waved goodbye to her step-brother. „Yeah have fun you two. And thanks again Casey!" the door closed and Derek was alone now. He told Sally to come over at 6.15 pm.

„Just enough time to make the sweetest dessert ever!"

_6.02pm._

* * *

Max let Casey sat down on her chair first and then did the same thing.

It was just how Casey had imagined it. The restaurant was small but really nice decorated. It was very romantic. They had candles and italian music playing. _Wonderful. _She thought. _I hope Sally likes the food and Derek does not mess it up again!_ She shook her head. _Romantic dinner with Max, Casey. Focus! _She reminded herself.

_6.15pm._

* * *

Derek was sitting at the table, staring at the clock. She should be here in a moment.

_6.17pm._

* * *

„Did you already choose?" the waiter asked and Casey gave him a smile. „Just a moment please!" she said flipping through the menu. „Did you found something?" Max didn´t react. „Max?" she tried it again but he was focused on his watch. **„Max!"** Casey asked, this time way louder.

„What?" he startled up. „I asked you if you already found something?!" he shook his head. „You didn´t even looked at the menu! What´s the matter?

_6.20pm._

* * *

_Where is she?_ Derek got even more nervous with every minute Sally was late. „Maybe she needs to work longer or something." he tried to calm himself.

_6.30pm._

* * *

„Nothing, really." Casey didn´t believed him. There was something wrong, she could feel it!

„Max, I´m your girlfriend. You can tell me!" she hesitated. „No, nothing." now she was getting angry. „Don´t lie to me. That´s one of the things I really can´t stand!" Max seemed to fight with himself. „But don´t be mad with me, ok? I´ll stay here." _Stay here? What does that mean?_

„Look, I totally forgot about the football game tonight. We have a really hard opponent. But it´s ok. I promised you a dinner here so I´ll stay!" Casey raised and eyebrow. Really great. This evening wouldn´t be fun at all. Even if he stayed.

„When does the game start?" she asked and Max looked at her. „At 7pm, why?" she stood up. „Then you better go. I don´t wanna be the reason why our school loses!" her boyfriend was confused. „No Casey, it´s ok!" she shook her head. „No Max. For me it´s ok. Just drive me home and win the game for me. We can do that another time!" he smiled at her. „Casey, you´re the best!"

_6.30pm._

* * *

Derek was still waiting.

_6.35pm. _Suddenly his cellphone was ringing.

„Sally?" he asked immeadeatly. „Yeah it´s me. Look Derek I´m terribly sorry! But one of my colleagues got sick and it need to work for him! Can we postpone our date?" Derek nodded, not aware that Sally couldn´t see that.

„Derek?" she asked carfully. „What? Yeah sure, don´t worry honey. It´s ok!" „Thanks, that´s so nice of you! And I think it´s cute that you called me _honey_! I love you!" then she hung up the phone. _6.40pm._

* * *

Casey was standing in front of her own house and didn´t know whether to go in or not. She knew that she had to, but she didn´t wanted to ruin Derek´s and Sally´s date.

_Rubbish! Just sneak in, they won´t even realize you!_ She opened the door and walked on her tiptoes towards the stairs as she saw Derek sitting in front of the TV.

„What are you doing there?" she asked outraged. „Did you messed it up?"

Derek startled up. „Hell Casey, don´t you scare me like that!" he got up from his chair. „And no, I didn´t messed it up. Sally had to work longer. She couldn´t come." she saw the disappointment in his face. „And what about your date?" she took of her jacket and sighed. „He has a footballgame." „What? And that´s more important then his girlfriend?"

Casey shook her head. „No, I told him to go. He wasn´t really into the date. I said we could do it another time." now it was Derek who shook his head. „Why did he set up a date when he knew there was a game?" she shrugged her shoulders. „He just forgot about it."

Looking closer at Derek, Casey noticed that he looked different. He had combed his hair and he was wearing an elgeant shirt which he had worn on the wedding too. „You look great!" she said and he smiled. „You too." didn´t he said that to her before this evening?

Derek glanced over to the table. „Are you hungry?" he asked. „Of course. We didn´t make it to the dinner part." Casey answered a bit ironic. „We can heat up the food. It would be too bad to waste it!"

* * *

10 minutes later they sat at the table, eating the food Casey had cooked.

„If anyone asks me later on I will deny that I said this, but Casey: This is more then delicious!" she rolled her eyes but then smiled. „DE-REK! Thanks." he smirked. Casey couldn´t help herself, but she loved it when he does that.

„Now I have a surprise for you!" Derek got up from the chair and Casey gave him a questioning look. „Surprise?" she asked, but he had already disappeared into the kitchen. Before she could follow he was back with a big bowl of something. „What´s that?" she leaned forward.

„_Derek´s one and only special dessert_!" he announced, smirking again.

„It´s mousse au chocolat. I made it as a dessert for Sally. But since she isn´t coming I think we should eat it!" he took a spoon with a bit of the dessert and held it over to Casey. „Open your mouth!" that nearly sounded tempting, she hesitated. „Come on, someone needs to tell me how it is!"

She finally opened her mouth and tasted the mousse. „Wow." she managed to say.

„Derek where did you learned to do that? That´s delicious!"

_She likes it! Why does that make me so happy? _

„Or did you ordered that somewhere?" she asked critically.

„That was too much McDonald!" he said with an evil grin and suddely the mousse was flying towards Casey. She managed to get out of the way this time before the delicious dessert hit her dress or even her face.

„Just you wait!" Casey got a spoon and threw the mousse on Derek herself.

„Don´t you dare to do that again!" he said, trying to sound threatening but it didn´t really worked.

They were both up from their chairs now, cyrcling around the table.

„What if?" Casey asked daring.

Suddenly Derek started running and Casey did too. They were chasing each other around the dinner table.

* * *

When Derek reached her, he grabbed Casey´s arm but instead of just stopping her they lost balance and fell down to the floor. Derek landed on top of Casey, staring right into her eyes.

For a moment, there was just silence.

„Y...your eyes are really sparkling." he said under his breath. „A...and yours are beautifully brown, just like chocolate." she answered.

It took a moment for them to realize what was happening.

_Get the hell off of your step-sister, Derek!_

But he couldn´t move.

_Casey McDonald, push your step-brother away, now!_

But she couldn´t move as well.

* * *

Suddenly the door opened. „What the heck are you doing there?" a familiar voice asked.

Casey and Derek turned their faces towards the voice´s direction just to find Sally and Max standing in the door, looking very surprised.

* * *

**So far for now, i hope you liked this chapter. It took me really long to write!  
I´d love to read your reviews, they always make me happy! =)**


	7. Chocolate ice cream

**Well, another chapter up for you guys! **

**I hope you like it. **

**Review please! =)**

**And again, I don´t own life with Derek. If I would, there would be Dasey! ;P**

* * *

„Get the hell off of me!" Casey yelled, finally able to push Derek away.

_What has that been?_

Casey´s heart was racing, she glanced between Max, Sally and Derek.

_Calm yourself Casey, this means nothing! _

„You´re just in time. Not that he was just throwing the dessert at me he also made me fall without being able to keep the balance himself."

* * *

Derek looked at Casey and got up from the floor. What was she doing there? Trying to save the situation?

Well he had to admit, the situation must have looked..._strange?_No that was not the right word.

_Akward?_ No.

_Romantic?_

His mind needed a few seconds to realize what he just thought.

_No way, definitely NOT romantic!_

* * *

„By the way, what are you doing here?" Casey got up from the floor too.

„We´re winning the game so they don´t need me and I asked the coach if I could go, for you!" she smiled. „Wow, that´s so sweet!" Casey walked over to her boyfriend and kissed him softly.

„Yeah and I found someone to work for me. I felt really bad because you made such an effort to cook for me!" Sally said in the direction of Derek.

„Yeah sure, It took me hours to cook this dinner and it was very hard but I did it for you!"

Casey rolled her eyes. Why on earth did this guy needed to exaggerate all the time?

* * *

Derek had just realized how pretty Sally looked tonight. Her hair was straightened and the blue dress fit perfectly with it.

„You look gorgeous!" Why was it so easy to say it to her but not to Casey?

„Thanks!"she smiled. „But I guess we´re a bit late for dinner, right?" Derek and Casey turned to the table with the empty plates and sometimes a bit of mousse au chocolat on it.

„I think so, yes."  
„Then, what about cinema? The next movies start at 8 pm. So we still have half an hour left." Max suggested and everyone nodded.

„Ok, I´ll go and get dressed because I feel kind of over dressed for the cinema." Casey said.

„You wanna lend some clothes from me Sally?"

Then the girls disappeared upstairs.

* * *

„What do you prefer, the black one or the red one?" Casey asked turning from the closet to her bed where Sally sat. "Black." she handed it to her.

„Casey?" Sally asked carfully.  
„Yeah?"

„You and Derek...were you really just fighting?"  
What kind of question was that?

„S...sure." Casey turned back to her closet. "Maybe you should try the green one I told you about! I have it somewhere here..." while searching for the shirt Casey took a short look into the mirror.

_Why on earth am I blushing?_

„Sure. It was just a question. You were in...well how to say this? A...I don´t really wanna call it a romantic position."

That made Casey blush even more. „Hell no, he´s my step-brother. Derek just fell on me because he couldn´t keep the balance."

Sally smiled. „You´re right, sorry for that stupid question. I just really care about Derek!"

Sally seemed to be a very sweet girl but there was still something Casey didn´t liked. She just couldn´t define it yet.

„So this is serious between you and Derek?"

_Why do I care?_

„I think so, yeah." silence.

„I found it!" Casey suddenly said and looked into the mirror before turning around to hand the shirt to Sally. Her cheeks were no longer red.

_Good._

„**Casey, Sally!"** Dereks voice came from downstairs. **„Hurry up or we´ll be late!"**

* * *

Max sat down on the couch and Derek was still standing next to the dinner table.

„So...do you wanna get changed too?" he asked. „No thanks, I´ll just take off my jacket."

Silence.

Derek was sure that Max was a nice guy but there was still something he didn´t liked.

„So, Sally is a really nice girl."

_Why does he care?_

„Yeah." Derek answered. „So, you´re together?"

_Why is he asking?_

„Sure. For about one week. I really love her." he felt like he needed to add this.

„What about Casey?"

„What?" Derek focused on Max.

What kind of question was that?  
„Don´t tell me you cooked this dinner on your own, why did she do that for you?" Max seemed kind of tense.

„She owed me something!" Derek answered quickly. He did not feel very well in this situation.

„**Casey, Sally!"** he yelled up the stairs.** „Hurry up or we´ll be late!"**

* * *

The movie had been really good. The girls got their romantic thing and the boys got some action.

„I loved the ending!" Casey said with a big smile on her face. „Me too, that was so cute!" Sally agreed and linked her arm to Casey´s. „And this one scene at the lake, aww..."

Max and Derek were walking a few steps behind them.

They looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

_Girls!_

Then they reached the cars.

„I´ll see you around!" Sally said, hugging Casey.

She had been right, Sally was a really nice girl!

„Sure, this night was really fun!" Casey hugged her back.

Then Derek drove Sally home and Max took Casey.

* * *

When Casey entered the house Derek wasn´t there.

„Is he still driving Sally home?" she asked herself. „Maybe he stays there?"

_Ugh._ That was something she didn´t wanted to think about.

She looked at the time table hanging on the fridge. „The fieltrip tomorrow starts at 8.30 am..." she read. They would meet up in front of the museum to look at some very interesting old works of art.

_I´m quite sure Derek won´t even focus on the art...not that he´d be interested at all but he will think about Sally all the time..._

This was bothering her, but why?

_Argh Casey, what´s the matter with you? Why do you act so strange lately?_

Suddenly she heard the keys turn and the door open.

* * *

„Derek!" she swirled around.

„Sure, who else should this be? The others are somewhere...where the heck are they?" Casey shrugged her shoulders. „If I´m honest, I have no idea." They looked at each other and bursted out into laughing. The embarrassing moment from earlier this evening seemed to be forgotten.

„So...do you wanna go to bed?" he asked. „Or what?" she asked back.

„I don´t know, it was just a question. I actually wanted to watch the hockey game from today. I recorded it."

Casey rolled her eyes. That was so typical of him!

„I´ll watch it with you!" _Why did I said this? I don´t even like hockey!_

„Seriously?" Derek gave her a questioning look. „Yeah." it was too late to back off.

* * *

Ten minutes later Casey was in the kitchen and trying to decide what ice cream she should take.

„Do you want some too?" she shouted into the living room where Derek sat in his chair.

„Sure!" he answered. „Then what do you want?" she looked through the freezer compartement.

„Chocolate." Casey jumped a little because suddenly he was right behind her.

„De-rek!"

„Sorry." he leaned his head forward to look over her shoulder and into the freezer compartement.

She felt his breath on her neck and it made her shiver.

_Hell Casey! It´s not like this is something special!_

„Do we still have chocolate?" she slightly nodded. „But just a little."

„Then it´s mine!"

„No way, I was here first!" Casey said immedietly and reached out for the box but Derek did too.

His arms came from behind and suddenly she was between them, it almost looked like he was hugging her.

Casey wasn´t even able to yell at him she was paralysed by his touch and his breath which she was still feeling.

* * *

Derek realized that he couldn´t get the ice cream until Casey moved so he folded his arms, lifted her up, turned himself around and let her down again. But he didn´t took his arms away.

Touching her felt so good.

_Argh Derek this is wrong and strange!_

He let her go and tried to focus on at least something. Then he grabbed the chocolate ice cream and got back to his chair.

Casey still wasn´t able to move.

_Casey McDonald, Calm yourself right now! One feet forward and then the next one..._

She grabbed the two spoons lying on the isle and walked back to the couch.

She handed one to Derek but as he reached our for it she took it back.

„I´ll give it to you if you let me have some of the ice cream." she smirked, it maybe doesn´t looked like Derek´s smirk but she was pretty close.

„Promise." he said and sighed. Sometimes she was way too clever.

Casey handed him one spoon and Derek took some ice cream on it. „So?" she asked and he smirked. Then he held the spoon in front of her face.

_Déja vu._ Casey thought but opened her mouth immediately.

* * *

The chocolate cream was already empty when half of the hockey game was over.

Casey was tired as hell but she didn´t wanted to go to bed. Derek had changed places, now he was sitting next to her on the couch.

Most of the time Casey eyes closed themselves but she was trying hard to keep them open.

Derek looked down at Casey when she suddenly placed her head on his shoulder.

_She´s sleeping._ He thought. _Cute._

* * *

**I know it´s shorter then the last one but the next chapter will deal with the first fieldtrip and I wanted it to have it´s own chapter so I just needed one chapter to fill out the gap.**

**I hope you like it anyway! =)**


	8. Fall down

**I get faster in updating! =)**

**I guess that´s because I have so many ideas and I need to write them down.**

**Hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

Casey opened her eyes.

_Where am I?_ She asked herself and sat up. _In my bed?_ She was pretty sure that she had fallen asleep on the couch.

How did she ended up in her bed?

The alarm clock told her that it was 7.50. am. _I need to get dressed!_

Casey walked over to her closet to find something to wear.

* * *

As she walked down the stairs Derek was waiting for her. „You´re a bit late, Case!" he said smirking. „Oh Derek, it´s only 8.10 am!" she snapped back.

„I made you a sandwich, now let´s go!" he handed it to her and disappeared through the door.

„What?" she turned to look after him.

_Why did he made me a sandwich?_ This whole weekend was really strange, she needed to get some distraction and the museum was probably the right thing to get it.

„**Casey!"**

„I´m coming." she said more to herself and closed the door behind her.

* * *

They hadn´t really talked in the car so Casey was very pleased to meet Emily and Max at the museum.

„Hey honey!"Max gave her a kiss. „Hey." in return she gave him a big smile.

_Distraction Casey!_

The teacher climbed up some stairs that leaded to the museum. **„Guys!"**

he shouted and everyone turned to him. „Thanks. You know have some free time to look at the art works on your own. We meet up for a special guide tour at 11 am. I hope you have a good time!"

then everyone entered the museum.

* * *

Casey was intrigued by all the fantastic art. The paitings and the skulptures were very impressive.

She was going with Max and Emily. Derek was, well...somewhere.

Not that she cared. Not at all.

„Wow, that´s pretty!" Emily said and Casey looked closer at the painting. It was a painting with a beautiful woman on it. She was wearing a long, white and floating dress which fitted perfectly with her long blond hair.

„She looks like an elf or a fairy, don´t you think?" Casey replied and her best friend nodded.

It was obvious that Max wasn´t really interested in this whole „painting" thing.

He sat down on a bench in the middle of the room.

_Just like Derek._ Casey thought. _Not a single interest in art..._

She shook her head. _Hell __Casey, why do you compare your boyfriend to your annoying step-brother?_ And again, she had no answer for this question.

* * *

„Emily?" Max suddenly asked. „Yeah?" Casey´s best friend turned to him. „Isn´t there a section about expressionism somewhere here?" she nodded. „Sure. That would be good for our project, right?" now Max nodded. „Which project?" Casey asked.

„Our school project, Max and me we need to work together. Don´t you rememeber I told you? It was last sunday when I had you over."

That probably had been the conversation Casey missed back then.

„I think we should take a look at it. Are you coming with us Casey?"

Well, expressionism wasn´t really what she wanted to see. „No, there´s a reprodcution of a greek temple somewhere and I really wanted to take a look at that."

„Ok. Then we´ll see you later!" Max said, gave her a kiss on the cheek and then disappeared with Emily.

Now Casey was on her own.

* * *

„All by yourself, Case?"

She jumped and turned around. **„Der-ek!" **she made a face. „I told you not to scare me like that again!" her step-brother was standing right in front of her and he was smirking, as ususal.

„It´s not my fault that you´re so jumpy." Casey rolled her eyes.

„Where´s everybody?" he asked.

„Emily and Max are looking at the expressionism paintings, they need it for a school project." she answered making her way to the next room.

„Sure. Case, be honest: How can you be interested in such...things?" he pointed at all the paitings hanging up on the walls.

„You´re so...argh Derek!" That was a stupid question, just because he wasn´t interested in anything that had to do with culture it didn´t mean others weren´t interested!

„Stupid question, sorry." Casey shook her head slightly. _I think I´ve never heard him say sorry this much since I met him!_ She was wondering what made him say it so often.

* * *

They´ve been walking through the rooms for about half an hour and Derek was annoying and teasing Casey all the time.

„Don´t you have something better to do?" she finally asked, she couldn´t concentrate at all.

„Nope." he said with a wide grin.

_Perfect._ Casey knew that she would never get rid of him.

„Derek, I want to take a look at the greek temple now. You can also go inside." it was almost 10.30 am. „And I´m staying there til we meet up again with our teacher so if you´re not interested in it please leave me alone!" she seemed to be kind of angry so Derek brought some distance between them.

„No problem. I just stay here." she gave him an ironic smile and then disappeared in the direction of the temple.

* * *

_Was I annoying her that bad? _Derek asked himself when Casey was gone.

_Yesterday she was so nice and even fell asleep on my shoulder._ The memory of that made him smile immideately. She had really looked cute._ She also didn´t metioned that I carried her to the bed. Maybe she didn´t even realized it..._

„Damn." _Let it go Derek. Maybe I should call Sally._ So sooner said than done.

„Yeah?" his girlfriend answered her cell. „It´s me Derek!" he could practically hear her smile through the phone. „Hey. What´s up? Any special reason why you´re calling me?" Derek thought about that for a second.

„I miss you!" he finally said. „Aww Derek you´re sooo cute. I miss you too. Aren´t you in school?"

„No, we´re on a fieldtrip. In a boring museum." she laughed. „What´s so funny about that?" he asked and she laughed again.

„Nothing, it´s just cute. Anyway I need to work a bit now, the customers are waiting! I love you." then she hung up. Derek had still half an hour left and didn´t really know what to do.

_Boring!_

* * *

Casey had reached the room with the temple. It was really beautiful. It had his own room and almost filled the whole space. There was just a little space on the sides.

You could also go into the temple to look at it from the inside.

The white pillars held up the roof and made the temple look even more beautiful.

_Maybe this would be something Derek likes._ She should have taken him with her. Getting rid of him didn´t felt as good as she had expected it to.

„Are you interested in the temple, Miss?" Casey looked up. A young man dressed in an uniform smiled at her. He seemed to be a guide.

„I have a group of students here and I´ll take them inside in just a few seconds to give them facts about the temple. Maybe you wanna join?"

* * *

Derek was still on his own and very bored. He knew why he didn´t like museums at all.

_I should have stayed with Casey. Teasing her is at least fun._

He could still catch up with her, he just needed to find this greek temple.

_Is there a map here or something like that?_

Derkek looked around and finally found a map hanging on a wall.

„...where am I actually?" he looked around again to find out which exhibition room he was in.

Museums where way too complicated!

* * *

Derek was only about two rooms away from the temple when he sudenly heard a lound _bang._

It felt like the walls were shaking and he automatically threw himself down to the ground. He covered his head with his arms and waited until it was over.

„What the heck has that been?" he raised his head. Suddenly there was complete chaos. People where screaming and Derek got up from the floor.

„**The temple!"** he heard someone scream. **„Help!"**

_What´s this supposed to mean?_

Derek made his way towards the room where the temple should be, but there was a big croud of people in front of it so he couldn´t see very much.

„What happened here?"

* * *

A woman in front of him turned around, her face was pale. „The temple fell down! There were students in it!" Derek could see that she was about to cry.

_Derek, I want to take a look at the greek temple now. You can also go inside._ Casey´voice was ranging in his head_. And I´m staying there til we meet up again with out teacher so if you´re not interested in it please leave me alone!_

He needed a second to realize what this meant.

Derek turned pale and his heart skipped a beat. He tried to make his way through the crowd.

„**CASE!"**

* * *

**yeah, cliffie. =)I kind of like them, I hope you review a lot! **


	9. The thing with the ring

Yeah I decided not to let you wait too long with that evil cliffie, so here comes the next chapter! =)

* * *

"**CASE!" **Derek was still screaming her name and trying to make his way to the temple,

but suddenly there were security guards pushing all people away from it. **"Go back!" **they shouted but Derek didn´t even really realized it. Where did they come from so fast?

"No please, I need to go there! Case is somewhere there!" he begged but nobody seemed to listen to him.

His heart was racing and Derek could hear his own breath going really heavy. He was not able to think clearly when he thought of Casey lying somewhere under the ruins.

"**CASE!"**

* * *

"Derek, why the hell are you screaming out my name this loud and what happened here? I just heard this loud _bang_."

He swirled around just to find Casey standing in front of him and arching one of her eyebrows.

The next things just happened in the blink of an eye.

Derek reached out forward, grabbed Casey and pulled her into his arms.

One hand was on her back to hold her close and the other one was hidden in her hair.

Casey was too surprised to react in any way.

_What´s happening here?_

After being stiff at first, Casey began to relax. _I never realized how good he smells…_ And she didn´t know why but smelling this, his brown eyes immediately showed up in her mind.

"Oh my god Case." It took him a few seconds to say something.

"The temple feel down…I thought I lost you!" this shocked Casey and she began to shake.

_If I had taken the invite of this guide I might have been… _Her eyes filled with tears.

"Shh…" Derek whispered and held her closer. "Everything is ok. You´re here with me!" hearing this made her feel better at once and she buried her head in his chest.

* * *

After a few minutes she lifted it up again and looked right into his eyes.

"Thanks Derek." She said without even knowing for what she was thanking him.

"Are you ok so far? Because I think we need to get to the meeting point, it´s almost 11 am."

She nodded even though she actually didn´t wanted to leave his arms. It felt really comfortable.

Derek couldn´t explain his reaction and if someone asked him about it he may have just shrugged his shoulders. _Things are getting really weird lately…_

* * *

On their way out Casey calmed down. Before meeting the others she took a deep breath and hoped that she didn´t looked that pale.

"Casey!" she heard Max say. "Oh my god did you heard about this Greek temple falling down? Isn´t that horrible? Good none of us wanted to see this thing."

_He does not even remember I wanted to go there?_

"Oh my god Casey!" surely, Emily remembered. Her best friend hugged her tight.

"It´s ok Em. I wasn´t there at the moment." She tried to calm her down. Max was kind of confused, first looking at Casey and Emily and then at Derek.

"What´s going on?" he asked and Derek just shook his head. "Jerk!" he said making his way over to Sam and Ralph and leaving an even more confused Max.

* * *

"Ok guys. Since the museum closed because of this horrible accident, we can´t get out special guide tour. And because I´m not able to arrange something else in this short time I guess you´re free for today. But don´t forget out field trip tomorrow. Which I guess you won´t since we´re going to the outdoor swimming pool. I´ll see you guys then!"

Within a few seconds most of the students were disappeared, just some of them were left.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Casey asked. Max still didn´t know why Emily and Derek had reacted that strange.

"If you don´t mind I´ll go home because I still have many homework to do." Emily excused herself. She gave Casey a last hug and then disappeared like all the other students.

Even Derek and his friends were gone.

"So…what do you think about lunch?" Max finally asked and Casey just nodded.

* * *

Derek was standing in front of one of the jeweler´s glass cabinets. He wanted to buy a ring for Sally and engrave it. "May I help you?" someone asked and Derek jumped a little.

"S…sure. I like to buy a ring for my girlfriend!"

It took him almost an hour to pick out a ring. It was a silver one, mat and all in all simple, but very beautiful.

"Would you please write down on this paper what you would like us to engrave?" the shop assistant asked and Derek nodded slightly.

_What´s Casey doing right now? I hope she´s ok…_ even if she had pretended to be ok she still had looked very pale.

_Argh Derek! Since when do you care about your step-sister that much? Especially when you´re in the middle of picking out a ring for your girlfriend?_

But he still couldn´t forget about her in his arms and how good she had smelled.

Derek handed over the paper to the shop assistant without checking it again.

"Thanks Mister. You can come back tomorrow, we should be done with your ring then. Thanks for visiting us."

* * *

Max and Casey took their lunch at Smelly Nellie´s.

The atmosphere was comfortable and Sally was serving them. "So…" Max began. "I have something for you!" Casey put on a smile. "What is it?" she still did not feel really well, but she didn´t wanted to show it to Max, especially not since he had forgotten that she wanted to go to the temple.

_How could he forget about this? I´m his girlfriend for god´s sake! He should have been scared for me! Even Derek was. If I think about it, he was _very_ scared for me…_

While Casey was thinking Max pulled out a little blue velvet box and handed it over to his girlfriend.

Casey immediately stopped thinking and focused on Max. He took her hands in his. "Casey…" he began. "Wait." She interrupted him in panic. "You´re not going to ask me if I´ll marry you, right?" She was too young to get married! Not that it would have been that bad besides this I´m-too-young for-marriage-thing. Well, stop. It actually would have been! She couldn´t marry him. _But why not?_

"Hell no Casey. Don´t panic!" she heard her boyfriend say with a grin and calmed down right then.

"I think we´re way too young to get married. Open the box please. I just bought it because I think it shows everyone that you belong with me!" Casey blushed. "S...sure. Sorry." She mumbled and opened the little box. _Embarassing!_

At least she hadn´t has been that wrong, there was a ring inside the box. He was silver and had 3 diamonds in it. They were sparkling.

The ring looked very good but something in Casey´s mind was resisting to call it _beautiful._

She had liked a simple one more.

"That´s so cute Max, aww I love it!" was all she managed to say because she was not a very good liar.

_Oh my god, Casey Mc Donald. What happened? You just lied to your boyfriend!_

"Thanks Case. I love you too!" he smiled at her and she smiled back. What else could she do?  
"I guess I´ll be off to the restroom for a moment!" Max said and Casey just nodded.

_You can´t lie to your own boyfriend Casey!_

* * *

A few seconds later Sally was at their table, she sat down for a moment. "Aww Casey that was so cute. You mind showing me the ring?" she asked with a bright smile. "No, there you go." She handed it over to her.

"That´s so beautiful, I like the diamonds very much. It shouldn´t be too simple, should it?" Casey shook her head. "No." she simply answered, she didn´t wanted to discuss that with Sally now.

"Put it on!" Sally suddenly said and took her hand. She didn´t resist. You need to put on the ring you got from your boyfriend. And Casey really wanted it. _Right?_

"I love it, it suits you perfect! Oh I wish Derek would buy me such a ring!"

* * *

Casey entered the house at 8pm and threw her bag on the ground. The day had been really hard.

"Are you ok, you look tired?!" a familiar voice asked and she looked up. It was Derek coming out of the kitchen. "Sure." Suddenly he began to smirk.

"That´s good. I thought I kind of need to show consideration for you." Then he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV very loud. Casey rolled her eyes.

What was the matter with this guy? But wait, didn´t she wanted the old Derek back?  
_There you got him Casey. Don´t complain anymore!_

"Argh Casey, stop thinking this much about your step-brother…" she mumbled to herself.

_Tomorrow I´m going to have a fun day with Max and Emily at the outdoor swimming pool! _

Keeping that thought in her mind she took a last look at Derek. "Good night." She said more to herself because she was sure he was not able to hear it. Then she disappeared upstairs.

A few seconds later Derek turned around to the stairs.

"Good night Case."

* * *

Yeah, so far for this chapter. I hope you liked it!  
The next one will deal with the second fieldtrip so be prepared! =)

Review please!


	10. Too late understanding

**Finally another chapter up. Thank god it´s Friday! =)**

**Hope you like it!**

* * *

Casey was close to panic.

"Where is it?" she had already searched in her room and in the bathroom.

Now she was hurrying through the living room trying to find her ring.

_It´s not possible I lost it!_ She got down on her knees to maybe find it under the couch.

"Casey, it´s nearly 9.40 am and what the heck are you doing there?" Derek asked and his step-sister got up from the floor. "Nothing." she answered innocently.

_Maybe I already lost it at Smelly Nelly´s…I need to check that later on!_

It´s not like she did it on purpose. The ring was just a bit too large for her and it didn´t really fit right.

"Casey, let´s go!"

* * *

The sun was shining bright and made the water sparkle. They had at least 90 F and the atmosphere was definitely better than yesterday. Everyone was laughing and having fun.

"Casey?" Max suddenly asked. "Yeah?" she turned to him. "Where´s my ring?"

_Oh no!_ she froze.

"I…I left it at home because I didn´t wanted to risk losing it!"

_Great lie Casey, you already lost it!_

"You´re right. My totally smart girlfriend!" he smiled and Casey tried to smile back.

* * *

They spent some time in the pool and now they were at the waterslide.

"Oh Casey this is really cool!" Emily said as they reached the top. "They have a stopwatch down there that shows you how long it took you!" she smiled at her best friend. "We decided to do a contest. Always two people together."

_That´s quite a nice idea!_ Casey thought. "So it´s you and me?" she asked but Emily put on an apologizing look. "We always do a boy and a girl together, otherwise it would be unfair." Casey shrugged her shoulders. "Then I´ll do it with Max."

Again an apologizing look.

"What?"

"Max is down there. He writes down the results ´cause the winners gets ice cream for free!" Casey sighed.

"And with who am I going to do it then?" she asked.

"I guess that would be me." Someone said and Casey turned around.

"Derek?!"

* * *

_Ugh. Not Derek!_ That meant he needed to touch her!

_Is it really that bad when he touches me?_ Definitely yes! But she didn´t wanted to ruin the atmosphere and the fun. "Sure." So Casey forced a smile.

_I think I __got pretty good at this since I´m doing it so often lately…_

Then it was their turn.

* * *

Casey sat down and so did Derek behind her.

"Derek, you need to touch her or this is not going to work! It´s not like she´s toxic or something!" Emily said because of the distance Derek had brought between him and Casey.

"Y…yeah sure." He put his hands forward and folded them in front of her stomach.

His soft touch sent shivers up and down her spine.

_Hell Casey!_ She closed her eyes to concentrate but this made it even worse. She felt his touch more intense.

Casey opened her eyes again quickly. "Ready?" he asked expecting an answer but Casey was just able to nod.

The light turned green and they started.

* * *

This waterslide was a special one. It had many curves and there was also a part where everything was totally dark and then some lights appeared which made it look like there were stars everywhere.

This ride was a bit too much for Casey. All the curves, especially in the dark part, well they didn´t really scared her but she didn´t liked them very much either.

In the next curve she couldn´t help but grabbing for Derek´s hands which were still folded in front of her stomach.

_I´m so glad he can´t see me!_ Casey thought.

She was pretty sure her face looked very similar to her red bikini right now.

"Casey, I…" suddenly everything turned bright again, the ride was over.

"21 seconds Casey! Wow that´s fast, you´re the best so far!" Max gave her a big smile.

But Casey wasn´t paying attention. _What did Derek want to say?_

* * *

She didn´t get an answer, not even when both of them were lying on their towels beside the pool. Everyone else was in the water.

_I´m so not going to ask him!_ Casey thought.

"What were you searching for this morning?" Derek suddenly asked. She looked at him, surprised. "My ring." Casey answered without really thinking. _Oh Casey, can´t you just shut up for once? He´s sure not interested in it!_

"Ring? You got one from Max?" she nodded. It was too late anyway. "Yeah but he was a bit too large and now…I guess I lost it." he kept quiet for a moment.

"Is it a silver one with three diamonds?" Casey straightened up. "Yes!" she said, looking at Derek. "Then I have it. I found it down the stairs yesterday when I went to bed, but I thought it was Nora´s so I put it on her bedside table." Her face lighted up and she reached out forward to hug Derek.

* * *

He was too surprised to react. _She´s really happy that I found that ring…_

Just a few seconds later Casey realized what she was doing.

She backed off and looked into another direction. _Embarrassing situation…just keep cool. Or something like that._

"Thanks. Derek." _Very cool Casey, really!_

What was the matter with her? It was hard to explain something you could not even define.

"Yeah, no problem." He answered. Silence.

"Derek? What did you wanted to say to me at the waterslide?"

_Are you crazy?_

"Well…" he wasn´t sure whether to tell her or not.

"Ice cream!" suddenly someone said and both of them turned around.

Emily sat down next to them and handed them their prize for winning the contest.

As if they had arranged it before, Derek and Casey both put on a fake smile.

* * *

At 2 pm they all left the outdoor pool. Casey was going with Emily because Derek said he had to do something so he couldn´t take her.

"It´s not like it is his car! He could have at least asked me!" she told Emily. Her best friend just shrugged her shoulders. "Let it go Casey. Have you anything planned for the rest of the day?" she nodded. "Yeah Max is coming over tonight. I guess we just hang out."

"Well that´s a good thing, right?"

_Sure it was, and Derek had found the ring…__So there´s nothing I have to worry about._

* * *

Casey had entered the house and was now sitting on her parents' bed, watching the ring lying on the bedside table.

"Take it, it´s yours!" She said to herself but just kept staring at it.

_I don´t wanna take it…_ But why not?

_I´m scared of losing it again! _Oh please, don´t try to fool yourself!

_I´m not fooling myself, It´s the truth!_ No it´s not and you know it!

"But what is the truth?"

That was the question…

* * *

Derek was home now too and sat down on the couch.

He took out the little box in which he had the ring for Sally.

"I just hope she likes it…" he opened it and took out the silver jewelry which looked really beautiful.

The engraving fit perfectly with it.

_Derek & Casey._

Derek and CASEY? "What the heck is that?" Derek looked at the engraving again but it was still the same.

Casey. Not Sally. Casey. Why was the name of her step-sister engraved in the ring he had bought for his girlfriend? He searched for the piece of paper the jeweler had given him.

_**To engrave:**_

_Derek & Casey _

It was right. He had really written this down yesterday.

* * *

"Derek, you´re home?" he turned around and saw Casey coming up the stairs from the basement.

"S…sure." He managed to say. As quick as possible he hid the ring behind his back.

She got closer.

"Listen Derek, I guess I just have to….well I need to or I…" Casey wasn´t even able to say one complete sentence.

"Yeah?" she was now so close that he could smell her perfume and look right into her beautiful eyes.

* * *

Casey couldn´t explain the feelings that she had. It felt like a million butterflies in her stomach that just waited to come out. Looking into his brown eyes just made her stutter even more.

"I…I can´t ex…explain it."

* * *

Derek knew exactly what this feeling was about. But he didn´t wanted to believe it.

_No, this can´t be true!__ I´m not falling for my step-sister!_

No Derek, you aren´t falling for her right now. You already did.

"Case…listen." He stroked her cheek with his hand.

* * *

_Why is he doing this and why does it feel so right?_

She had, once again, no idea.

Her heart beat faster and the butterflies were still there.

"W…what?" she asked.

"I…I can´t do this!" then he gave her a kiss on the forehead, turned around and stormed out of the house.

Leaning against the door, Derek put his hand in front of his mouth. His breath was going heavy.

_It´s the right thing!_ He thought._ I love Sally!_

But when it was right, why did it hurt so much?

* * *

Casey was shaking and just made it towards the couch before her legs weren´t able to keep her up anymore.

Her eyes filled with tears.

_This is absolutely insane Casey!_

She grabbed the phone and dialed a number.

What now?

* * *

**So, what do you think? I have two more chapters til the end, so be excited! =)  
And review please!**


	11. Gotta go my own way

**Just two chapter****s left til the end! =) **

**Hope you enjoy this one!**

**And again, I don´t own life with Derek. If I would, there would be Dasey! ;P**

* * *

Casey stared at her best friend.

"Hm." Emily was playing with one strand of her hair.

"Don´t you have anything more to say then just _hm_?" Casey was getting angry, she had just told Emily everything about the thing with Derek and all her best friend had to say was _hm_.

"I guess you have a problem." Great, she had known that before!  
"I know. I shouldn´t be in love with my step-brother, this is just wrong!" Casey sighed.

"No, I meant Max." Max?

_What´s the__ problem with Max? Besides that I don´t really love him…_

"And Sally." Sally? What was she talking about?

"Look Casey, I´ve known about everything. And I was just waiting until you tell me yourself. I wasn´t expecting you to do it so late because that made everything a bit more complicated."

Casey was astounded. She didn´t know how to react.

"Y…you knew?" was all she managed to say.

"Yes. There was always some kind of well,_ tension _between Derek and You. And really thinking about this I started when you called me the day after prom but at first I wasn´t paying much attention to it. And well yeah, when you wrote Derek and Sally´s names on your notebook I was nearly sure because you were really distracted this day." Casey put on an apologizing look.

"I´m sorry I didn´t told you Em, but I wasn´t really sure myself." Her best friend pulled her into a hug because she saw the tears coming up in Casey´s eyes. "Don´t worry honey, It´s ok. But now we have to solve this problem!"

* * *

Derek was standing in front of Smelly Nellie´s and trying to decide what to do next.

He couldn´t just forget about Casey, that was impossible.

_But I have to!_

He was with Sally, who left her boyfriend for him because Derek was after her for so long.

Maybe he had just done this to suppress his feelings for Casey.

_No I didn´t!_

Ok, maybe he did.

Suddenly the door opened and Sally was smiling at him. "What are you doing there Derek?" he jumped a little but then tried to smile back.

"Visiting you, what else?" and then he entered.

* * *

"Ok Casey, Max is coming in about 10 minutes, right?" she nodded. "You have to talk to him!"

Casey felt so miserable. She had no idea what to do or how to talk to Max, never mind Derek!

"Hey, look at me!" Emily was waving one of her hands in front of her best friend.

"You love Derek, right?" It was hard to say this.

"I never felt something like this before, when I´m with him it´s like…like…oh Em I can´t explain it! Like a million butterflies in my stomach!" Emily smiled. "That´s love Casey."

Then, why does love have to be so complicated?

"But I have no chance, he´s in love with Sally. I told you he said he _can´t do this_." She shook her head and the tears came up again. "And that means he has feelings for you too."

Maybe she was right.

_But even if…he already made a decision, right?_

Suddenly the doorbell rang.  
"Max!" Casey said and her heart was going faster, but not because she was happy. All she was feeling right now was fear. "You can do it honey, believe me. Listen to your heart!" Emily gave her a last hug and then opened the door.

"Hey Max!" she quickly said, smiling at him. "Hey Emily!" he couldn´t say something else because she was already disappeared.

"What was that?" he asked, taking off his jacket.

Casey just shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea."

* * *

Derek was sitting at table staring at the menu.

_I´m not even hungry!_

Sally just had to work for about half an hour and then she would join him.

_What´s Casey doing right now? She didn´t looked very happy…_

Hell Derek, stop thinking about your step-sister! You shouldn't care about her that much. Well, not as a boy. Just as a brother.

_Seriously, don´t try to fool yourself! You´ve never seen her like a sister!_

Argh, why was this so complicated?

"I love Sally, I love Sally..." he kept repeating this.

But wasn´t this just the same thing she had told him the day they became a couple?

_I guess I just kept saying this to myself not to get overwhelmed by my feelings...for you_

* * *

"So, any special plans for tonight?" Max asked and Casey was really paying attention to him for the first time this evening. She didn´t know how to start this thing. She wasn´t good at this at all!

"Max?" she asked instead of answering his question.

"Yeah hun?" Silence.

_I really don´t know what to say…_

Suddenly the radio started playing a song from High School musical. Casey got up to turn the volume down, she didn´t needed any cheesy stuff right now.

Reaching the cd-player she stopped and listened to the lyrics.

_/I´ve gotta do what´s best for me_

_You´ll be ok/_

The question here was, what was best for her?

_/I´ve got to move and be who I am_

_I just don´t belong here_

_I hope you understand/_

"I belong with Derek." Casey said more to herself.

_/We might find our place in this world someday_

_But at least for now_

_I gotta go my own way/_

Actually Casey would have never thought that this song fit, because it was about a couple who gets back together in the end but it somehow made her a bit stronger.

* * *

"Casey? Everything ok?" Max asked and she turned around.

"No it´s not. I have to talk to you."

_Ok Casey, you can do it!_

"What´s wrong?" she sat down beside him and forced herself to look into his eyes.

"I…I guess…I don´t love you anymore."

_Wow, that was straight…_

Bang. Max had a puzzled expression on his face.

"Casey, honey, you don´t mean that right?" she gave him an apologizing look, and she really meant that. "Is it because I went to that football game? You said it was ok!" Casey shook her head.

"No, it´s…it´s not your fault." Wow, this was cliché!

"I guess I thought I love you. Just to keep myself away from some other guy."

_Well, this wasn´t really smart Casey._

"**WHAT**?" he looked at her very shocked.  
"Don´t worry, he does not love me as much as I love him and we never had a thing."

_And we never will!_

"So this is the end?" he got up from the couch.

_/Why do you have to go?_

_I just don´t belong here!/_

Casey just nodded. To her surprise she wasn´t even close to crying.

_/I want you to stay_

_I gotta go my own way!/_

* * *

Faster than Casey could react Max had stormed out of the door.

"**Max!" **she shouted and ran after him.

"Max I´m sorry!" he turned around. "What?"

"I…I´m really sorry. I didn´t meant to hurt you. I just…there were a couple of things happening that made me realize…that made me…" she didn´t know what to say. How could you apologize for something you could not even control?

"Listen Casey, it´s ok. I want you to be happy and if it´s not with me then you should go and fight for this guy." She could see that it wasn´t really what he meant, at least not right now.

"Your ring." She said, taking it off of her finger and handed it to him.

_/I gotta go my own way__!/_

* * *

Sally sat at the table with Derek, giving him a big smile.

"Did you found something?" she asked and he looked at her.

"I actually did. But I was never expecting to find it."

Sally raised an eyebrow and looked at him very confused.

"What do you mean with that?"

"Listen Sally…"

* * *

**So…hope you like it so far.**

**And sorry for the HSM songs but I had it stuck in my head all day so I needed to use it!  
XD**

**The next one will be the last chapter! Be prepared for the final! =)**


	12. Us against the world

**Wow, I can´t believe the story is over with this chapter!**** I´m glad it turned out as I wanted it to be. So enjoy the last chapter of my story! =)**

_**Ce chapitre est pour ma**__** chérie Aurélie!**_

_**J´a**__**i vu ton "us against the world" Dasey vidéo et il m´a insprirée! Merci pour touts les choses!**_

_**Et bon anniversaire encore une fois! =)**_

_**H**__**appy birthday hun, I love you!**_

**And for the last time: I don´t own Life with Derek! =)**

* * *

Casey sat down on the couch again. "Oh my god, did I really just broke up with Max?" she looked down at her hand. The ring was gone. And her finger felt some kind of light.

_Great Casey! Now you´re totally alone. You fell for you step-brother which was the first mistake and now you broke up with your boyfriend even though you know Derek has already found the love of his __life, second mistake!_

She didn´t know why everything was going wrong lately.

* * *

"Derek, I need to talk to you!"

Eh? He lifted his head and saw Max standing next to the table where he sat with Sally.

"It´s not really convenient now." He was the one who needed to talk to Sally, he needed her to say something that made him believe he really loved her!

"Please, Casey broke up with me." Derek almost choked himself with the limo.

"W…what?" that wasn´t possible! "And why are you coming to me with that?" did she told him about, well the _things_ that happened? That was absolutely absurd, nothing had happened!

"Because you´re her step-brother, I though you know…"

_Did she do it because of me?_ His heart skipped a beat.

_And why am I so happy about this?_

"She broke up with you? But you bought her that beautiful ring!" Sally seemed to be very surprised. _She liked that ring? It wasn´t plain at all!_ Derek thought about all this for a second.

"I can´t talk to you Max, I need to talk to Sally!" with that he stood up from the table and so did his girlfriend. She looked really worried.

"What´s the matter Derek?" she asked. He took her hands.

"Sally, you´re a wonderful girl. You´re smart, beautiful and amazing." This made her look even more worried.

"D…Derek?" she stuttered. "B…but I just don´t think you´re the right girl for me. I thought you were, but I was just trying to push someone else in the back of my mind. I´m really sorry and I mean that. You don´t deserve such an idiot like me. You deserve someone that really loves you and makes you happy." He stepped forward, gave her a kiss and then turned around to leave Smelly Nelly´s.

Max´s mouth dropped open and Sally was shocked. She didn´t know whether to cry or to run after him and scream at him.

* * *

Casey had turned the radio louder, trying to push away all the thoughts that were haunting her.

Derek was with Sally right now, she was pretty sure about this.

She needed to see Emily. She needed her best friend.

Casey got up from the couch and headed towards the door.

As she opened it, she almost ran into Derek.

"W…what are you doing here?" she asked perplex.

"I…I…" Derek couldn´t answer. He had thought about what to say the whole way from Smelly Nelly´s to their house, but actually he had no idea.

"Aren´t you with Sally?"

_Argh Casey, you don´t wanna know this!_

"I heard you broke up with Max?" Derek closed the door behind him and made his way to the couch.

"Who told you this?" _And why the heck does he know about it?_

He stopped. "Max." Ok this was weird.

_Did he found out? B…but how?_

Derek turned around. "Casey." She focused on him. "I broke up with Sally too."

_What?_

"I…I know it took me a long time to realize but I…I love you."

Casey´s heart was going crazy and the thoughts in her head were racing.

"You can´t deny all the chemistry between us. I never realized it until I had this dream about almost kissing you. And even after that I tried to deny it."

He came closer. "Casey, I know you feel the same."

Casey didn´t know what to do. What was he saying there?

Derek was now really close and leaned forward to kiss her.

"**Stop!" **Casey shouted, stretched her hands and pushed him away. "I…I can´t do this."

* * *

Sally was still standing next to the table.

"I…I can´t believe he did this." She finally said.

"Me neither." Max agreed. There was silence for a moment.

"And what are we going to do now?" Sally looked at him.

"We?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean…well I don´t know what I mean. I just thought maybe you don´t wanna be alone now." Sally nodded.

"So…what about…a movie?"

"Sure."

* * *

"What?" Derek looked at Casey, very shocked.

"I broke up with my girlfriend, I told you that I love you, I´m trying to kiss you and you just say _stop_? What else do you want me to do?"

"I…I can´t do this."

_Are you crazy or something? That´s what you always wanted!_

"W…why?" Derek´s voice cracked.

"I…You…we…we´re step-siblings!"

_And that´s your only argument? Isn´t that a bit weak?_

"And?"

Her eyes started to fill with tears. "We just can´t do this. How could we explain this to Nora and George? And to Lizzie, Edwin and Marti?" she tried to control herself.

"They would understand!" Derek tried to touch her but she fell back before him.

"And all the others in school. They would say it´s incest!"

_Casey, that´s total rubbish and you know that!_

"It´s not and you know that! And even if they talk, I don´t care what they say because I love you!"

He said it again. Casey´s heart was racing.

"I…I really can´t. Please Derek, you have to understand that!" she turned around to hide the tears falling down her cheeks.

Derek clenched his fists and suddenly a song playing on the radio caught his attention.

He had heard it several times before but now it seemed to be special…

_/__'Cause it's us against the world  
You and me against them all  
If you're listening to these words  
Know that we are standing tall/_

Casey also paid attention to the song.

_  
__/I don't ever see the day that I won't catch you when you fall  
'Cause it's us against the world tonight/_

Even though he had pranked her a lot, Derek had also helped her all the time she needed him.

_He had always catched me…_

_/__There'll be days we'll be on different sides  
But that doesn't last too long/_

Hearing this Casey couldn´t help but smiling.

_If we would be together there would be a lot of days where we´d be on different sides!_

_  
__/We find ways to get it on track  
We know how to turn back on/_

"Casey, listen. I can´t just let this go."

_/__Sometimes I feel I can't keep it together  
then you hold me close and you make it better  
When I'm with you I can feel so unbreakable/_

"Being with you makes me strong. Every time you touch me I…I can´t explain how I feel then! It just makes me happy!"

Casey bit her lips.

_Why is he saying this? It makes it just harder! I can´t do this…can´t I?_

_/__'Cause it's us against the world  
You and me against them all  
If you're listening to these words  
Know that we are standing tall/_

"And who cares about what they think or say? If it has to be us against the world, than it will be!" Derek said, making a step towards Casey.

_  
__/I don't ever see the day that I won't catch you when you fall  
'Cause it's us against the world tonight/_

"And I really mean what I´m saying. I know you´ve seen me with many girls. I had a relationship with Sally and I told you she´s the love of my life. The relationship lasted about a week. I know I seem like a total asshole to you right now. But this was just because I tried to cover my feelings for you. I didn´t meant to hurt her. And I promise: I will never hurt you. I´ll always catch you when you fall."

This seemed so unreal to Casey.

"And you make me crazy, Casey Mc Donald. I never ever thought that I´m going to say such things in my life."

_/__We're not gonna break 'cause we both still believe  
We know what we've got and we've got what we need alright/_

"Please Case. Tell me you´re not going to care about what the other people will say. Tell me that you love me enough to do it!"

She loved it when he called her Case, it made her feel special to him.

Suddenly the calendar caught her eye. Today was the 25th of May.

Why did this seem so familiar to her?

_  
__/We're doing something right/_

"It´s not wrong. How can things like touching you feel so right if they´re wrong?"

He paused. "I tell you: Because they´re not. I really love you. Could you now please say something? Because I start feeling some kind of stupid."

Silence.

"Case, I really love you. I wanted to buy a ring for Sally and I engraved _Derek&Casey_. Can you believe that?"

Right at this moment something in Casey´s head made _click. _

She ran upstairs, leaving Derek behind. He just stared after her and couldn´t believe what she was doing.

"Running away doesn´t make it better!"

* * *

_/__'Cause it's us against the world  
You and me against them all  
If you're listening to these words  
Know that we are standing tall_

_I don't ever see the day that I won't catch you when you fall  
'Cause it's us against the world tonight__/_

She was in her room searching for her dream diary.

After a few seconds she finally found it and flipped through the pages.

"There!" Casey read the dream again until she found the place she was looking for.

_Derek May 25, 2017_

„So…it´s meant to be?" she asked herself.

_Hell Casey, for once in your life do something that is not planned or that needs to be calculated! Do what your heart wants!_

And her heart screamed Derek.

Within 10 seconds, she was back downstairs.

* * *

_/__'Cause it's us against the world  
You and me against them all  
If you're listening to these words  
Know that we are standing tall/_

"If it has to be us against the world, than it will be!" she said and Derek´s face almost fell off.

"W…what?"

_What made this girl change her mind so quick?_

_/I don't ever see the day that I won't catch you when you fall  
'Cause it's us against the world tonight/_

"I…I´m still scared Derek. And I guess this will last a bit but my heart screams your name and I can´t resist it. I broke up with Max because of you. Your touch sends shivers up and down my spine. Your eyes make me melt down and I have butterflies in my stomach."

_/Us against the world/_

"You may laugh but I also had a dream about you and me. I was at the doctor and the secretary told me that we married ten years after we got together. On May 25th. I guess all this means that I really love you. And that this is meant to be."

Before she could say anything else, Derek reached out forward and pulled her towards him.

Their lips crashed and it felt like a firework exploding in Casey´s head.

His lips were soft and Casey couldn´t get enough of them.

Derek just perceived her unmistakable smell, some kind of vanilla. It made his head spin even more.

* * *

"Casey? Derek?" they suddenly heard a shocked familiar voice.

"Daddy, why are Smerek and Spacey kissing?"

Casey smiled against Derek´s lips and so did he.

_/Us against the world, tonight/_

* * *

**W****ell, there you go. This was the story.**

**I hope you like the ending and the whole story of course.**

**Thanks for reading it and I hope you also review this chapter! =)**

**Bye bye**

_**Kisses**__**, Laura**_


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